


Changes

by AnotherWriterWhoWrites



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Angels, Demons, Gen, Human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2013-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-03 17:39:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/700922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherWriterWhoWrites/pseuds/AnotherWriterWhoWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur was a bored demon who stole two infant angels from heaven with the intent of turning them into demons. However he never counted on the fact that he had fallen in love with them and now he has taken the place of a parent in their lives.</p><p>Pairings might come in at the later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Throughout the years the name of Arthur Kirkland had struck fear into the hearts of both demons and angels alike. Tales told of his crimes and deeds. How his home was lined with the wings that he had ripped off of the angels bodies and the tails he had ripped from the demons. 

How he, and he alone, had caused the black plague that had consumed so many human lives so long ago. How his silk tongue had been the one whispering into the ears of the leaders that had caused the most bloodshed to their countries. 

He had been feared. He had countless ready to serve him. Begging him to teach them his ways. 

He still remembered the Greatest War. The only full out war between the angels of heaven and the demons of hell. 

It had lasted decades, with the demons winning of course. Those white clad things had no idea how to fight, only to defend. And once a demon had been able to destroy their shields and defense it had been severely easy to attack and kill the angel.

With the angels backed into their own holy place in the sky and clouds the demons had been free to attack and prey on the humans to their content. From actively harming the humans with their own hands to simply whispering into the ears of men that would be able to cause nations to fall.

It had been a glorious time. The bridge between the human world and the demon world had been almost completely destroyed, allowing them to easily go through both realms. The so called angels did nothing to stop them, they were still attempting to recover from their many losses. 

If anything the angels had turned their backs on humanity, leaving the demons to play with them until they tired. 

Boredom set quickly however. Arthur Kirkland’s name was known throughout the land. He had conquered many nations; in their view of course it meant that he simply controlled the entire population that had resided in those areas. However to do so he had had to kill many demons that had claimed those areas.

Demons killing angels was nothing, you were not considered a real demon if you hadn’t killed at least one angel. Demons killing other demons however was not something any of them had anticipated. However there was no rule against it either. 

Demons hurting demons was nothing, it happened every moment in their homeland. However there was only one way for the demon to be killed by the hand of another demon. The demon attacking must bring them down and consume their heart in order to destroy the victim as well as obtain their power and strength as well.

However one day the angels had struck back once more. Stronger than before. As the demons made their time with consuming as much as the human life and lands as they had been able to the angels had used those times in order to strengthen their forces and focus more on offense and attacks rather than shields and defense. 

It had taken more years however soon enough the angels had been able to slowly cleanse the human world of the demons and push the demons back into their own lands. Finishing with replacing the bridge with a stronger one that kept them from the human world.

Now with nothing better to do they had attacked one another. Unless they had been able to perform the shield spells they had to be on the constant guard from their own, most of them had been killed in sleep when they had left their guard down.

Arthur Kirkland had never worried about being killed. He had long ago learned the spells that most demons had sneered at learning. He knew how to attack and defend. 

And when the scrolls that had the information on creating and keeping the shields that protected them to allow them rest were destroyed they had flocked to Arthurs side begging to be taught. 

He had only sneered and scoffed at them before sending them away, most likely to their deaths.

And now he walked through his home; grand, big, demanding respect, _empty, lonely, echoing_ , staring at his babbles and war trophies; the wings, the tails, the occasional skull or hand, he would sigh and leave the safety of his home to walk along the lands hoping for some foolish little demon to attempt to kill him if only for a distraction from the boredom.

He had lived a full life to demon standards. Most of them when they had no longer had anything to do in their lives killed themselves in a fight or battle in order to start their lives over again with a fresh and blank slate to fill. 

If only for the fact that he would lose all his memories and babbles Arthur had chosen not to walk down that path.

It was boredom and nothing more that drove him to visit his old; friend? Neighbor? Once ally? He didn’t know where he stood and he didn’t care.

Yao raised an eyebrow at Arthur from across the table. 

“Never thought that you would be one to be restless.” Yao said, sarcasm lacing his voice. “Living such a great life and then suddenly to be pressed back here.”

Arthur snorted as he took the cup of tea that Yao had given to him and poured it into the plant leaning against the wall. The poor plant shuddered before the green leaves darkened to brown and it collapsed. 

Yao wrinkled his nose. “I liked that plant; couldn’t you have picked some other one?”

“You try to poison me, that doesn’t leave any room for you to complain.” Arthur said placing the cup back on the table. “Now I would like some tea that isn’t tainted, it almost pains me to say this but you actually know how to brew a somewhat decent cup.”

“I will take that as a compliment.” Yao said dryly as he picked up the teapot from its hidden place under the table and poured some of its contents into Arthurs cup. He then picked up his thin pipe and held it delicately on his fingers.

“You had better not start smoking.” Arthur warned. “I hate the way the smoke fills my lungs.”

Yao raised a single elegantly eyebrow. “And this is coming from the demon that had introduced me to this drug? Hypocrite.”

“I had hoped the drug would melt what little sense you had.” Arthur said taking a small sip from his cup. When he was satisfied that there was no poison in this one he took a bigger sip. “I had wanted to take the land you had controlled. Plan backfired on me, unfortunately.”

Yaos lips curled into a smirk for a moment before he composed himself. “Now I know you didn’t come here in order to talk about our past misdeeds, why are you here?”

Arthur shrugged. “I literally had nothing better to do; you are my last source for entertainment.”

Yao didn’t choose to comment as he placed the pipe in his mouth and inhaled. He blew the smoke into the air and tapped the pipe in the ashtray. 

“Restlessness and boredom.” Yao murmured. “I am sure if I didn’t have my own little kin to look after I would have succumbed to it as well.”

“You have children?” Arthur asked. 

“Yes, quite a few actually.” Yao said. “I am not going to show them to you however. I would rather they not witness a being such as yourself.”

“You mean strong and handsome?” Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Boorish. Disgusting. And of course pitiful.” Yao said. “They are still young, no need to let them see just distraught things just yet.”

Arthur barred his teeth. “I could kill you for those remarks.”

The corners of Yaos lips curled upwards once more. “As if you could, admit it young Kirkland. Out of all your conquests, I was the only one who refused to bow down and the only one who you were not able to end no matter how hard you tried.”

Choosing not to answer Arthur instead sipped from his cup and narrowed his eyes.

“Case proven.” Yao said. “If you are feeling so restless then why not have children? Unlike the humans we do not need a partner, just the desire.”

Arthur scrunched his nose. “Children…are not one of my top priorities.”

Yao shrugged. “I find that before I end my life, or someday it might be ended for me, I wish to explore all the aspects of this life that I can. Children, I find, is my most favorite one of all of them.”

“Hearing you speak of them like that makes me think that you have them for…not so honest reasons.” Arthur said.

It was Yaos turn for his eyes to narrow. “I would never do that to a child; demon, human, or even angel.”

Yao placed his hands on the table. “If you are so bored, may I offer a small bit of advice?”

“Go ahead.”

“You are aware of the demon Romulus, correct?” Yao asked.

Arthur snorted. “I think all of us know of Romulus.”

“Then you are aware of his conquests.” Yao said. “How he had conquered and ruled. And then he had done the ultimate demonic act.”

“He had stolen an angel infant and corrupted it until it had shed its white wings and gained the black wings and tail of a demon.” Arthur finished. “However the ‘shedding its wings’ is a bit of a lie. The wings had to be cut off in order for the procedure to begin. Cutting off the wings symbolize severing the ties the angel has to heaven.”

“Do you know what happened to the angel he had corrupted?” Yao asked. 

Arthur shook his head, fighting the blush of ignorance that was threatening to erupt on his face. Yao had centuries on him, there was no shame in not knowing something that the elder did.

“Of course none had wanted to have anything to do with the corrupted angel. Although he had gained his black wings and tail there were many that still didn’t consider him one of us. The demons wanted nothing to do with him and neither did the angels.” Yao said. He turned his cup so the handle faced the wall. “When he had, for his own unknown reasons, decided to have children he did something that none of us in the lands had expected. Alvar, that was the name Romulus had given to him, had given children; for he had done this twice, to the angels so that they can be raised as angels in the clouds and the sky. Far from the turmoil’s of what happens here.”

Yao looked thoughtful as he sipped from his cup. “I met him once, Alvar, and in truth his position saddened me. He was young however he already refused to show emotion, preferring to hide himself within. After he had given his children to the angels; he did name them however, Gilbert and Ludwig respectively, he refused to return to these lands and choose to live on the human land instead. In fact I think he still lives somewhere on the humans land.”

“Romulus, on the other hand, had been hailed as a hero and wonder. No one in the history of ours had ever been able to turn a born angel into one of our own.” Yao continued. “Countless have tried of course, however when Alvar the infant had been taken from heaven the angels have increased their protection on the children, keeping it one of their highest secrets where they kept the children.”

“Where is this heading?” Arthur asked.

Yao allowed a full smirk to appear on his face. “If you are so bored why not attempt to enter heaven and take one of their infants? Should you succeed in corrupting an angel you would be only the second demon in our history to have done so.”

Arthur felt the start of a smirk start on his face.

“Demons generations from now would sing songs about you.” Yao said indifferently. “You would be reigned as a hero just as Romulus was. What do you say?”

Arthurs smirk widened. “I think.” he said silkily. “That you have just given me, the best idea that has ever come out of your mouth. I’ll even thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Yao said. He watched as Arthur drained his cup and nearly sprint from his house. 

Yao shook his head in amusement. “I’ll be drinking to his corpse, the angels will kill a demon the moment they enter heaven.”

A cry from the other room made his put down his cup and immediately went to calm his now crying children.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It had been surprisingly easy to enter heaven for Arthur. Unknown to the angels the shield that they had made to keep the demons in their own lands had a hole in it that allowed them to leave. The same went to heaven. There was always a hole somewhere that could be found that would allow anyone to enter the lands.

It took Arthur around two weeks of nonstop searching and looking until he found the hole. 

The only downside to entering the lands of heaven was that in order to not be detected by the angels he needed to hide everything about him that told he was a demon. His aura, his scent, his power. If he was caught he would be caught helpless and he would need to buy time in order to get back his power and escape with his life.

He waited until nightfall when the angels would be asleep and he could easily maneuver around the clouds. 

Walking through the clouds he had to scrunch his nose in disgust. Such…cleanliness. Such manners and being nice. Merely being here caused his stomach to turn over and make him gag. 

He had to laugh however. Even though the angels had been going crazy in keeping demons away from the infants they couldn’t have made it easier to find the place where all the infants were kept. They might have well put a giant neon colored sign that said ‘We Keep Our Children Here’.

When he had entered the room he was assaulted by the scent of powder, freshness, daisies, and the pure and innocent scent of babies.

He just wanted to get out of here, before anyone noticed that he was there. He picked up the first child that he saw until he noticed that the child he now held had been in the same bedding as another. A quick look confirmed that they were twins.

He chewed on his lower lip for a moment. Making up his mind he shifted the first child to his right arm and picked up the other child with his left. Two children was a bigger prize than just one of course.

Shifting them so that he could comfortably carry the both of them he quickly left the building and ran towards the hole. Even though the clouds were empty and all the angels were asleep he needed to get out of there, if only to destroy his massive headache that he got ever since he had stepped foot in the clouds.

Suddenly he heard a loud screech behind him. 

“WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DO YOU FUCKING THINK THAT YOU ARE FUCKING DOING WITH MY FUCKING CHILDREN!” a voice, who did an impressive combination of a screech and a roar, came behind him.

Choosing not to look behind, lights were starting to flash around showing that the angels were now waking up, Arthur ran to the hole as fast as he was able to as he called to his power which he had sealed away.

Claw-like hands attacked his back which he had positioned over the children. He allowed himself a single glance at the one who was attacking him. All he managed to see was furious and rage filled blue eyes and shoulder length blonde hair that was flying everywhere. The angels wings were flapping hard and fast in order to keep up with the demon and his hands were glowing in a light blue color. The color of the angels preparing his magic to attack.

Finally his own magic came back to him and with a blast of green light the angel, all of them that were eagerly closing in on him, were blasted away. When he saw the hole he threw himself headfirst into it. 

Unfolding his wings as he dropped he flew himself through the air until he reached his so called ‘home’, a small cottage in the deep forest trees where no human would go and magical creatures wouldn’t be allowed entry because of his own protective spells.

Breathing hard, and his back hurting from the scratches, Arthur entered his cottage. Walking to the bedroom he placed the two stolen angels on the bed to look them over.

Surprisingly the both of them hadn’t roused from their sleep even with the entire commotion. Both looked alike however they weren’t twins. One had a single hair strand pointing upwards while the other had a hair strand that was curled and going downwards. Although they both had blonde hair the one with the curl in his hair had a slightly lighter color. 

Arthur shook his head as he ran his fingers through his hair. First thing first. He needed to get rid of their wings. The first sever to their ties to heaven. A quick run to the kitchen allowed him to find one of the knives he had placed there and he quickly walked back to the bedroom as he glanced the knife over to secure its sharpness.

Movement caught his eye. The one with the darker hair was moving on the bed whimpering softly. Slowly and gaining volume with each passing moment the boy started to cry.

Arthur failed around looked to the sides and allowed the knife to drop to the ground. He hadn’t even touched the child and it was already crying! He poked the child a few times to get its attention. However that had the opposite effect and if anything he started to cry harder. The other child started to squirm in his sleep as well.

Arthur had no idea what to do. From the small reminders of his own youth he remembered that when he had been foolish enough to cry his mother had smacked him, which if anything made him want to cry harder, and told him that a demon didn’t cry. 

However the children weren’t demons yet, that would take years to get rid of their angelic innocence. 

The boy spotted him and lifted its arms towards him, crying out softly and a pleading look appearing on his face.

Arthur scratched the back of his head. What did the child want?

The child let out another cry and held its arms out once more before his strength failed him and they fell back to the sides. His brother started to join in the crying as well.

“By the devil. What do they want?” Arthur whispered.

The child had extended his arms. Did he wish to be picked up?

Hesitantly Arthur picked the child up. Placing his hands under the infants arms and lifted him. The boy giggled which caused a strange heat to flow up his chest. 

Arthur brought the boy back down slowly before he brought him back up. The boys giggle became a laugh. 

A whining noise caught his attention once more. The other infant was holding his arms up as well with the same pleading look on his face as his brothers. 

Arthur shifted the first one onto one hand as he picked the other up in the other. When he performed the same actions, bringing the children up and then down slowly, both of them giggled and laughed softly.

Arthur didn’t realize it until then however he had his own smile appear on his face as well. He quickly wiped it away and placed the children back on the bed. He bent down to pick the knife back up and sat down on the bed and placed the first child on his lap.

First things first, cutting off the wings. Pure bone and skin and muscle, he had cut humans and animals, he was sure that this wouldn’t be that different.

The boys wing was folded against his back in what Arthur believed was most comfortable for the child. He took a firm grip of the wing and forced it to unravel.

The boy cried out once more, obviously not liking how his wing had been forcefully unfolded, he squirmed on Arthurs lap.

Arthur pressed down on the boys shoulder to keep him on his lap and still, no need to make this more painful than it had to be.

When he tightened his grip on the wing the boy cried out again, louder this time. When droplets of water fell onto Arthurs knee he realized that the boy was crying. 

His chest. His chest was clenching and hurting him. His hand started to shake.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he hissed to himself. “You, one of the most feared demons in all the lands, to be stopped by a child’s cry? A child that you are going to turn into a demon? Such a disgrace.”

Resolve restored Arthur tightened his grip on both the knife and the wing, he pulled the wing outwards more in order to find where it connected with the back.

The boy cried louder. This time the cry penetrated Arthur to the point where he was shaking. The boy turned his head and looked up to the demon almost pleadingly. The boys lips were trembling and his eyes were filled with tears that were running down his face in rivers. A quick glance to the side showed that his brother was in the same condition, almost responding to his brothers pain.

Arthur felt himself gasp as his shaking hand dropped the knife to the ground and allowed the wing to slide through his fingers and the boy curled it back into its position. Before he could even think about it his foot shot out and kicked the knife away from reaching distance. Scooping the other child onto his lap he hugged the both of them close.

“How the hell did you do it Romulus?” Arthur whispered. “Did that boy Alvar cry as well? How did you harder your heart against his cries and pleas?”

Content with the knowledge that Arthur wouldn’t hurt them, at least for tonight, the boys curled up to his chest and nuzzled closer to him. Soon enough they had fallen back asleep. 

Moving as much and as fast as he was able to without disturbing the children Arthur backed up until he hit the pillows. He laid himself on the bed comfortably and shifted the children to the side, with his arms still around them however.

He stared at their innocent and peace filled faces, content and happy to be safe and with one another. They slept, undisturbed. 

Arthur simply stared at them, their innocence, their purity, for a long time before he followed them in the land of Morpheus.

Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few weeks were both ones of learning and ones filled with headache and confusion.

From that first night Arthur swore to himself that he would tear off the children’s wings and start their transition. 

The children still had their pure white wings. 

Each time he had so much as looked at the knife he felt his heart tighten in his chest and his airways start to close.

They didn’t sleep in the bed together again. Arthur allowed them to have the bed and curled against one another while he slept against the wall. And in truth it was more comfortable to him than sleeping on the bed. 

He had learned that they were quite young. So young that they didn’t have their teeth yet and therefore couldn’t eat practically anything.

Anything. 

He had gone hunting in the forest that surrounded his home and came back with an armful of rabbits and a deer strapped to his back. 

He licked the blood off from under his nails. He had missed hunting animals more than he was willing to admit.

A cry from the house caused him to drop the animals and run inside towards the children. Halfway through he realized what he was doing and scowled to himself as he forced himself to slow down and enter the bedroom. 

The boys were crying, again a corner of his mind added, and when they saw him they extended their arms towards him whimpering.

Arthur started to walk towards them however when the scent of the blood that was staining his clothes reached them they changed.

They didn’t scream. They screeched, their voices reaching a new height that he had never heard before. Their wings uncurled outwards and stood out on end, flapping crazily. 

Then, Arthur hadn’t believed that it was possible however he was proved wrong, they somehow managed to get even louder. However this wasn’t the screech of a regular displeasure. It was one of the methods angels had as a defense.

The screech of a banshee.

Arthur roared and placed his hands over his ears tightly as he fell to the floor and curled into himself. His own voice was screaming as if it was trying to go against the children’s. 

Keeping his hands firmly on his ears Arthur managed to crawl towards the door and get himself into the hallway. With his leg he pulled the door closed and thankfully, thank the merciful devil, the children stopped screaming. 

Arthur lay on the floor breathing heavily. If the children had been any older and more of their power had been revealed to them then his ears would have started to bleed, he wouldn’t have been able to concentrate, and then eventually the screeches would actually start to destroy the joints that connected his bones.

What the hell had set off the children like that? He hadn’t don’t anything different from yesterday.

He paused for a moment before he glanced at his bloodstained clothes. 

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Arthur hissed. “They don’t like blood?”

On the other hand, he mused as he took off his clothes and threw them in a corner to wash later. It made a bit of sense, angels hated anything violent in any sense and blood did with that.

He ran to the river that lay next to the house and cupped the water in his hands to wash himself clean of the scent of blood off of his skin. He ran his fingers through his hair to see if any of it had been caught.

Sniffing the air he nodded to himself in approval and was sure that the blood was all gone. Going back into the house he pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt before going back to the bedroom. 

This time when he walked, slowly to make sure, towards the children their wings retracted back against their backs and they smiled at him and raised their arms towards him. 

Arthur carried them outside and set them down near the side of the house so that he could make sure wherever they went as he prepared their dinner. 

His hands were familiar in the way they moved for this. Breaking apart the bones and using his nails and knives, except that one he could no longer look at, to rip the skin off and place them in strips to the side. 

He built a fire, noting that he would need to gather more firewood, and placed the strips of meat on sticks and flat logs. 

He glanced to the side where the children were. The one with a strand standing up in his hair was climbing over his brother, who actually seemed to not mind if their smiles told him anything. They both noticed the butterfly in the sky and were now mesmerized with reaching towards it.

Arthur shook his head, out of disgust and not in an attempt to hide the smile threatening to appear on his face, he turned back to glance at the meat. He alternated between watching the meat cook and the children playing a game only they understood.

When he was confident that the meat was cooked, and by confident he meant that they weren’t as burnt as they usually were when he cooked, he took them and placed them on a separate piece of a flat log. He walked to the children and picked them up when he noticed something. 

The children didn’t have teeth. 

Arthur groaned to himself. “I just had to pick one of the youngest children there were, didn’t I?” he said to himself. They wouldn’t be able to eat the meat unless he cut them into little pieces that would be easily swallowed.

He placed the children onto the ground once more before he reached for one of the shorter knives. He pulled the children’s portion to him and started to cut it when he remembered a small fact that he had learned about the angels.

Angels don’t, or rather can’t, eat meat. Consuming the flash of a living being was taboo to them. 

Arthur snarled which caused the children to quiet and look up at him. He threw the knife to the ground where it bounced harmlessly to the side. Whirling around he pointed at the children who looked at him innocently. 

“You! Why in the name of hell do you two need to make things so bloody difficult for me!” he roared. “Ever since I first got the two of you there have been nothing but trouble for me in everything that I do! And if you don’t stop this spell that you placed on me to ensure that I won’t cut off your wings then take it off before I claw out your eyes and…oh for the love of the devil stop crying! Please stop crying! I didn’t mean any of it! Please stop crying!”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Arthur drank straight from the bottle of alcohol that he thankfully remembered that he had in the house as he watched the children curl up against each other sleeping. 

Sleeping and crying. That’s all they were good for. 

He refused to acknowledge the little voice in his head that was speaking of his memories of the human plane and their lives. 

In the first ten or so years of both angels and devils their growth cycle was similar to that of humans. It was only until they reached ten years that their growth slowed down and took more time to mature.

And if memory served him right then the children that he had taken, stupidly taken now that he thought about it, were about three months old.

Three. Months. Old.

Arthur held back a whimper. Three months was young, too young for him to deal with. Just that day he had to change the cloths around their abdomens and upper thighs from the mess they had made. Of course he had no readymade cloth so the pair of them had to be bare for a few hours until he properly learned how to correctly fold the cloth.

He took another swing from the bottle as he watched the children sleep. 

Thankfully, for today at least, he had solved the food problem with some roots that he had found in the ground and herbs that he knew weren’t poisonous in the forest however that would only last so long. He had no knowledge on how to grow any of those things and if he wanted to know this he would need to go to the humans and either steal, learn from them, or buy.

Suddenly he remembered his previous mission. To turn the children into demons. He took another swing from the alcohol.

How was he to cut off their wings? As more time passed he found that he couldn’t listen to their cries much longer without trying practically everything in his power to stop them.

He snarled to himself. “I am not weak.” he snarled. “These children are not and will not bring the weakness from me.”

He knew what he had to do. Place a spell on them to make sure they slept and then cut the blasted wings off. 

However. 

What if he didn’t do that?

Arthur snorted. His head was starting to swim lightly thanks to the alcohol and his thoughts were starting to go into a thousand directions at once. 

What if he didn’t cut off their wings? What would happen then?

Well he mused. If he didn’t cut off their wings they would remain angels. And then what would he do?

He could raise them. 

His eyes widened at the thought and he glanced at the alcohol in his hands. Was he that drunk?

He could raise them a corner of his mind argued. Away from the other demons and angels here. Alone with just the three of them. 

And then what, he argued with himself. When they get older and start to question more?

He would deal with that when it came. 

Arthur snorted. To keep them as angels meant that he cared about them, demons didn’t care about anyone else besides themselves. Why else had he kidnapped the children if only to boost his own reputation?

But he did care, that persistent corner of his mind insisted. Otherwise they wouldn’t still be demons.

Whenever a demon would cry and ask for attention or comfort they were smacked and beaten to know never to do that again. 

He could rush to them and try everything to make them stop crying within his power. 

Whenever a demon would refuse to eat a certain food they would starve until they learned to eat either whatever was given to them or find their own means of food.

He went out of his way to find proper food that wasn’t meat for the children to eat instead.

Arthur snorted once more. They meant nothing. 

He didn’t want to cause them pain from cutting their wings off and now because of that single night he couldn’t even look in the direction of where he had buried the knife.

He had, without even realizing it, had started to think of the future where the children were still angels and was trying to find a way to feed them the food that they would be able to eat. Even going as far as going to attempt to ask humans for their advice!

Arthur glared down at the alcohol in his hand. 

“You are a lousy thing.” he said.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Even though he knew the children would be asleep for a while thanks to the sleeping spell he had placed on them he couldn’t help but worry about them and kept his ears perked and hearing high in order to hear their first cry when they realized that they were alone.

He shook his head. He was growing too attached. 

Sighing lightly he resumed his search. Finding herbs in the forest was more difficult than he thought it would be at first. The basket on his arm only held a few pieces, not even close to enough to fill the children’s stomach for a single meal let alone the entire day. 

He fingered the point of his tail that was wrapped around his in thought as he scanned the area. He had seen animals eat the grass and leaves from the flowers, would the children be able to as well?

He felt the shields that he had placed years ago shiver lightly. He glanced upwards towards the sky as he took the basket off of his arm and placed it against a tree. Someone was close and they now knew about the shield, it only shivered when someone was trying to get rid of it. 

Arthur’s pupils dilated to cat slits as he uncurled his wings and let his tail uncurl from its place around his waist. Angel or demon it didn’t matter, no one would know of the children. 

He walked briskly to the edge of the shield were the blasts of magic were the strongest. His eyes widened as he saw who was on the other side.

“Yao?” he called as he stepped from the shield, no one would be able to cross over the boundaries unless they had Arthurs permission and Yao most certainly didn’t have it.

“You’ve been gone for a while.” Yao said as his eyes glanced over Arthur. “I had gotten curious as to how the mission had gone.”

“The mission was a failure.” Arthur heard himself say. “The angels stopped me before I even managed to find where they hid their children.”

Yao rolled his eyes. “I knew as much. No one had ever been able to get to the children after Romulus. Now why are you hiding here instead of returning to hell? No one would think any less of you because you failed.”

“I know that.” Arthur snapped. “I’m here because I want to be! I’m tired of hell and all those pesky demons, I want time to myself.”

Yao glanced Arthur once more before he sniffed the air. 

“Why is it that you have the scent of angels all over you?” Yao finally asked.

“Because I had entered heaven?” Arthur suggested. “Because they attacked me?”

Yao stepped forward closer to Arthur and breathed in deeper. “It’s a bit more than that, and it has been about three days from when you left. That smell would have left you by now, or at least not be as strong as it is now.”

“Well then I don’t know.” Arthur said. “Now if you’ll leave.”

“Your pupils dilate and your tail starts to shake.” Yao said. “Something I noticed. It happens whenever you lie.”

“Why would I lie?” Arthur asked as his hands curled into fists.

“True.” Yao said. “However if you were telling the truth then you wouldn’t be so tense. What exactly are you hiding behind this shield Arthur?”

“I’m not hiding anything.” Arthur insisted. 

Yao didn’t look convinced. “Or is it that you did successfully kidnap an angel child and now want to keep them for selfish reasons? Physical selfish reasons.”

Arthurs eyes widened. “I might have done a lot of sordid things in my life.” Arthur said lowly. “But I would never succumb to something like that.”

“So tell me then Arthur.” Yao said, almost purred. “Did you, or did you not, manage to take an angel from heaven?”

“No, I didn’t.” Arthur said. Technically it wasn’t a lie, he hadn’t taken one he had taken two.

Yao watched him carefully before his the corner of his lips curled upwards into a smirk. 

“Whatever you say.” Yao said. He bowed slightly as he kept his eyes connected with Arthurs. “Now then, I am happy that you are well and that I didn’t to drink to a corpse after all. Good day to you and I look forward to when you return to hell.”

Arthur watched until Yao disappeared completely before he stepped back into the safety of the shield, as he walked to where he had placed the basket he felt his stomach start to fall. 

“I have a bad feeling about this.” he said as he placed the basket back on his arm and continue his search for more herbs and edible plants. “A really bad feeling.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Arthur placed the blanket around the children tightly. Lately the nights have been getting colder with the earth turning towards winter. He glanced at the fireplace that he had in the room. 

“I really need to get more firewood.” he said. “And soon.”

He also needed to do something about the food. There were plenty of animals in the forest for him to eat meat however he was running out of plants and roots that he knew the children could eat. Unless he wanted to try his luck and eat one of the unknown plants in the forest to see if it was edible or poisonous he was going to have to do something else.

He turned his attention back to the boys. The one with a curl in his hair going downwards was clutching his brother’s cloth tightly as their legs tangled with one another.

The brother. Arthur frowned as he made sure the blanket was secure before going to his place next to the wall. He couldn’t just keep calling them ‘boy’ for the rest of their lives. 

They needed a name, the both of them. Names were what separated higher beings from animals after all.

Arthur rubbed his chin lightly. The both of them needed good names, something to grow into that would be perfect for them. Suddenly he remembered the fairy tales that he had read when he had been a child and gave a small smile. He stood once more and kneeled next to the bed to properly see the children. 

He reached out and placed a hand on the child with the hair standing up. 

“To you, I give you the name of Alfred.” Arthur murmured.

He reached farther to place a hand on the other child. 

“And to you, I give you the name of Matthew.” he said. “The both of you earn those names for they had always been my favorites.”

The children made no noise however they moved closer to one another and deeper into the blanket and bed. 

Arthur chuckled lightly before he went back to the wall. He was going to need sleep if he was going to do what he wanted to do tomorrow.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Arthur was growling. He grinded his teeth together and fought against his stomachs need and desire to empty itself. 

Humans. He was going to humans to ask them for help. 

He barred his teeth at this. To ask these lower life forms for help sickened him to his stomach and made him want to set the entire town on fire. 

He spotted a man, a farmer from the looks of him, and stomped over to him. He grabbed the startled man by the arm and forced him to turn around. 

“People who don’t eat meat.” Arthur spat. “What do they eat?”

“What?” the man actually asked, trying to get his arm out of Arthurs grip.

“I will not repeat myself.” Arthur snarled. “Answer me.”

“Vegetables and fruits.” the man said. “Now let go.”

“No.” Arthur said tightening his grip. “You are going to spend the day with me and let me know just which ones.”

“I have a family to get back to.” the man said. 

Arthur snorted and threw a small bag at the man. He caught the bag and opened it, his eyes widened at the pieces of gold that lay there. 

“There. I bought you for the time being.” Arthur said. “Now, what I wanted to know?”

“Which fruits and vegetables you can get depend on a lot of things.” the man said quickly pocketing the gold. “Different seasons can bring good products while it might kill others.”

“Teach quickly.” Arthur said. “I don’t have much patience.”

The man spent the rest of the day explaining which fruits and vegetables grew best in their conditions. He had escorted Arthur to the town market and pointed out each food as Arthur bought them. 

“You can also grow your own, which is something that I would recommend.” the man said as Arthur examined his purchases. “Prices go up every day and with winter coming soon there won’t be anything good.”

Arthur nodded. “And how do I grow my own?”

“Seeds.” the man said. “You can either save the seeds from the foods.” He nodded to them in Arthurs hands. “Or you can buy your own.”

At Arthurs raised eyebrow the man quickly took him to shop to help get him the seeds he needed. 

“Is there anything else that I may help you with?” the man asked eagerly. 

Arthur snorted. The avarice of humans knew no bounds.

“No.” Arthur said mentally going back to everything he learned. “I think I have everything I need now.”

The man bowed. “If you do need my help, just ask for David Burns.”

Arthur waved him away as he started his walk back to the forest and where the children were under control thanks to a spell once more.

However he had been so preoccupied with looking at the food, the seeds, and going over everything he didn’t notice someone following him until they grabbed him and pushed him into the dark alleyway.

Arthur stumbled to the ground, barely holding onto the food. He glared at his attacker. 

“May I help you?” he spat as he felt his pupils dilate into cat slits once more. “I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with.”

The man’s arm came and grabbed Arthur to push him against a wall. His green eyes met blue eyes that he was sure was familiar however he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“My name is Francis Bonnefoy.” the man, Francis, hissed. “And I know exactly who you are demon.”

Now he was able to see the angels white wings that he had hidden as he curled them outwards and around them. 

“And I also think that you have something of mine.” Francis hissed. “You kidnapped my two sons and I want them back.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Arthur hissed back. “Now if you know what’s good for you, you will release me at once.”

Francis’ eyes narrowed and he removed one of his hands from Arthurs neck to allow it to snap forward through Arthurs side clean through.

“You know exactly what I am talking about.” Francis said as Arthur coughed up blood. “Now I know you demons are morons, that’s a given, however I will say this once and only once. Give me back. My sons.”

“And what makes you think that I will just willingly give them back to you?” Arthur asked.

“Because I will destroy you if you don’t.” Francis promised.

“I thought angels were against violence and all that is bad.” Arthur said mockingly. “What a poor angel you are.”

“When it comes to my sons I don’t care what I have to do.” Francis hissed. “I will do anything to get them back.”

Arthur chuckled lightly. “I’m afraid that it’s a bit too late for that unfortunately.”

Francis stilled. “What do you mean?”

Arthur allowed a malicious smirk to appear on his face. “I mean that it’s too late for you to have anything to do with your so called sons. They are mine now.”

“I don’t care what spell you placed on them.” Francis spat. “I’ll reverse them.”

“Then answer me this one question.” Arthur said before he leaned close and whispered “Has your magic gotten so far that it can help either reattach or regrow wings?”

Francis froze. “Yo-yo-you didn’t.” he whispered.

Arthur allowed his smirk to widen. “Oh but I did. Like I said, they are mine now.”

Francis closed his eyes and when he opened them again they had steeled over. “I don’t care.”

This time Arthur froze. “What?”

“I don’t care.” Francis repeated. “I don’t care that heaven doesn’t consider them angels anymore and they will no longer be allowed entry. They are my sons regardless and I love them. I’ll raise them here on earth; it makes no difference to me.”

Arthur growled. “I’m not giving them up to you.”

Francis eyes darkened as his hands began to glow. “You are making a very wrong enemy demon.”

“I could say the same to you.” Arthur said as his own magic caused his hands to glow.

There was an explosion of magic that once it met the entire town had been engulfed in the dirt and dust that it up roared into the sky. Dimly two figures could be made out in the sky, one with wings of pure white and the other with dark leathery wings.

Francis let out a screech, the same one the children had used earlier except this one was more practiced and honed on Arthur as well as its power and strength. Arthur momentarily covered his ears.

In that moment Francis flew at him, his hand and nails transformed into claws, another morphing angels are able to do.

Arthur barely managed to avoid the claws as he flew to the side. He momentarily caught sight of the food that he had dropped to the ground.

Cursing to himself he dived to the ground and scooped whatever he was able to in that single sweep and tucking them safely into his pockets before going back into the air and towards the forest. The shields would be able to protect him and keep the angel out.

Francis dove towards him once more. When he missed his eyes narrowed and he called his magic out. 

The air around Arthur started to thin before it was twirling around him and was choking him. Clutching his throat he tucked his wings around him as a cover as he fell to the ground. The angel landed on top of him with his knee firmly lodged downwards into his ribs. 

“I will hunt you down until you beg for mercy.” Francis vowed. “I have heard of you Arthur Kirkland and I don’t care. You will return my sons to me or I will kill you.”

“French.” Arthur wheezed. 

Francis froze for a moment. “Pardon?”

“French.” Arthur repeated. “I finally placed your accent. You’re a French angel aren’t you?”

“And you’re a British demon.” Francis said waving his hand. “What is the point of this?”

Arthur grinned. “I always hated the French. Bunch of perverts and whores really. And so clueless that they let their guards down so much.”

Francis had a moment of confusion on his face before he realized and jumped to the side however he was unable to avoid Arthurs tail that had been flying at him completely, it had still gone through his side.

Without wasting a moment Arthur jumped up and grabbed Francis by the throat and slammed him against the ground. Before the wound healed itself he inserted his hand into the wound and deepened it.

Francis screamed as Arthur inserted more of his hand and then his arm into his body. He jerked his body in an attempt to get away however Arthur tightened his grip on Francis throat as his tail waved behind him in a menacing attempt.

“Now what were you saying?” Arthur said gleefully, the adrenaline of the fight singing in his veins. It had been too long since he was in a fight. “Something about hunting me down until I beg for mercy? Perhaps if you beg right now I’ll give you mercy.”

Francis gasped as Arthur clenched his fist around his internal organs. “Fuck. You.”

Arthur thought for a moment before a smirk and a predatory look entered his eyes. “That’s not a bad idea.” 

Francis watched him silently. 

“I actually haven’t had a good fucking in a while.” His free hand came to Francis’ waist and he slid one finger over the rim of his pants. “Ages actually.”

Realization came to Francis as he continued to struggle. “Let go of me!”

Arthur gripped the pants and pulled them downwards, ripping them slightly. “Why would I do that? I am going to fuck you here and now.”

Francis continued his attempt to escape. “I refuse! Sins of the flesh! Sexual intercourse is an abomination!”

Arthur laughed. “It is an enjoyment you idiotic angel.”

“It is a sin!” Francis screamed. “A sin filled with filth that you demons are made from! We pure beings shall never succumb to it!”

“You’re not being asked to succumb to it. I’m not asking you anything.” Arthur said as his hand came to the belt on his own pants and started to undo it. “I’m telling you. And right now I am telling you to simply lay here like a good little thing and let me fuck you.”

Francis let out another scream; however this one wasn’t like the other screech however it was mixed with pain and fear. Much more effective than the other screams because one fears for their lives and lets everything out.

Arthur felt his joints and bones start to break as his ear drums ripped apart. He screamed as he scrambled away and into the air once more. He was aware moments later that despite the wound that was bleeding heavily in his side the angel was following him. 

Arthur cursed to himself once more as he flew as fast as he was able to towards the forest. When he passed the shields he allowed himself to stop and look up. 

Francis had a look of confusion on his face as he hovered in the air. He looked around and then at the spot where Arthur had disappeared. His eyes narrowed and he continued to fly through the sky, analyzing everything that he could see.

Arthur shook his head and scoffed at the attempts as he started towards the house where the children were.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The sun was blazing on the back of Arthurs neck as he bent down to examine the make shift garden he had created. 

He nodded in satisfaction at the little bits of vegetables and fruits that he planted were now growing. Combining them with his magic ensured that they grew faster and bigger than whatever pathetic methods the humans used.

He glanced upwards and noted the angel Francis was soaring around in the sky once more. It had been a month since their first encounter and he made no sign that he was giving up. Every day for hours on end he would soar through the sky hoping to see a sign of either the demon or the children.

Arthur laughed. The angel could continue this for all of eternity and he would never see so much as a single hair of the any of them.

Although it seemed that Francis wasn’t the only one looking for him Arthur mused as he glanced at the children who were happily playing in the shallow ends of the river next to the house.

He had seen signs of Yao going around and occasionally attempting to enter the forest only to be stopped by the shield. That wouldn’t have been a cause for concern if he hadn’t brought other demons with him as well. 

Ah well, he thought to himself as he shrugged. Regardless of what happened from either the demons or the angel he was sure that he could take care of it.

It wasn’t until that night when he realized how wrong he was.

The day had ended and he had picked the children up to take them to the bedroom when he noticed something upwards.

The angel had always ended his search once the sun set which had been nearly thirty minutes ago however he was now flying crazily in the sky and he seemed to be arguing with someone on the ground. 

And when Arthur saw cracks start to appear in the shield and parts of it start to collapse he knew exactly who Francis had been arguing with.

Cursing to himself he held the children tight to his chest and shot up into the sky. Perhaps if he got away before the shield collapsed completely he would have enough time to get away.

When he flew into the sky he allowed himself one moment to glance around to see where the enemies were.

That had been a mistake. Someone came down on him from the top and kicked him to the ground. He turned midair so that he landed on his back and the children weren’t hurt.

“Well, well, well.” Yaos voice rang out. “Look what we have here.”

Arthur ignored the way the children were crying from the surprise attack as he stood, keeping his eyes on Yao firmly.

“What the hell is this?” Arthur asked. “A surprise attack seemed to be beneath you. I guess some people get more cowardly as time passes.”

Yaos eyes fell on the crying children in Arthurs arms. “Say what you wish Kirkland, I don’t care. All I know and care about is that we are taking those children with us.”

If possible Arthur tightened his grip on the children. “The hell you’re taking the children.”

“Now this is something that I never thought I would see.” Yao said smirking lightly. “The Great Arthur Kirkland has actually bonded with another different living being and being protective. I wish I had brought a camera with me.”

Arthur snarled. “I don’t want to hurt you Yao.”

Yao glanced to the sides where the demons were standing beside him and then towards the sky where more were waiting. “I honestly don’t think that you’ll be able to do anything at this moment.” He nodded to the demons and they started forward.

Before they were able to even step a single pace forward a screech filled the air deafening all of them.

Arthur used this moment to soar into the air once more. He spotted Francis staring at him as he took in a deep breath. His gaze went to the children in Arthurs arms as his arm glowed green and shot the magic burst into the air. 

A signal for the other angels to know where they were and to come and help.

Arthur quickly turned around in a circle as he felt his heart drop into his stomach. He tightened the hold on the children, there was no way out.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Surrounded by white and feathers everywhere. Arthur swallowed the bile rising in his throat. He could see Alfred and Matthew, completely and thankfully oblivious to the chaos surrounding them, in Francis’ arms.

The angels were subduing the demons, forming a protective circle around the children. When Arthur shifted lightly the angel holding him twisted his arm further into his back and wings. 

“You’re not going anywhere until you get your just punishment.” the angel hissed into Arthurs ear. 

“Bonnefoy.” the angel in command called stepping forward. He held his hands out. “The children.”

With no hesitation Francis put the two boys in the others hands.

The children were looked over quickly before they were handed to a separate angel.

“Kill them.” came the curt order.

“What!” Francis exclaimed as a cry came from Arthurs throat in protest.

“The children are young, too young, to have even been remotely close to a demon.” the angel said as others held Francis back. “To ensure that no corruption, however small, has been placed they need to be killed and set forth into the reincarnation cycle once more.”

“You can’t do this!” Francis yelled as he struggled to get to his sons. “Nothing has happened to them to be corrupted!”

“We need to make sure. Their souls will be purified and sent again.” the angels voice softened in an attempt to be comforting. “Once it is done we will tell you, you can create them again with their new pure souls. Against the rules of course but sometimes exceptions can be made.”

“But it won’t be them!” Francis wailed. “Look at their wings! Look! Still pure! Still white!”

“However they have been in the company of a demon.” the angel said. “Rules are rules.”

“You just said that exceptions can be made!” Francis yelled. “You just said that!”

“Not for this.” the angel said his voice firm. “Proceed.”

Francis gave a whimper as he slumped to his knees. The angels that had been holding him back now attempt to crouch beside him and comfort him. Arthurs eyes found the circle of angels around the children, dear Alfred dear Matthew, the arms were raised with white magic surrounding their hands.

Suddenly a different magic, a bright red one, cut through the air and spread. The angels fell to the ground now cradling their newly made wounds as they tried to heal themselves. 

Arthur braced himself when he saw the red light going towards him however at the last possible second it curved to hit the angel holding him.

Before Arthur could process what had happened he saw Francis jump forward and scoop both of his sons into his arms, red magic still crackling around him.

Arthur didn’t bother to waste any more time. He jumped to Francis and held his hands out. “Give me one.” he demanded. 

Francis hesitated as he pressed the children closer to him.

“You can’t protect both at the same time and escape while fighting back.” his back was still hurting from his attempt to do so. “I will protect one, you will protect the other, and we’ll be able to escape.”

“I have somewhere where we can be safe with stronger shields.” Francis said. “Follow me there or I will hunt you down and nothing will keep you safe.”

“I will.” Arthur swore. Francis threw him one more suspicious look before carefully placing Matthew in his hands. Arthur pressed Matthew closer to his chest as the boy gave a giggle.

“Follow me.” Francis said, his eyes still narrowed. He opened his wings and flew into the air. Arthur did the same and followed the angel as the two of them escaped from the now combination of angels and demons who were now ready to hunt them.


End file.
